The word "Bible"
comes from the Greek word Biblion,which
means "book." The Bible, then, is the "book" of the church. This is an
excellent description of its place and function in the Christian community.
However, the Bible never uses this term to describe itself.

Many Christians
refer to the Bible as "the word of God." The intent is to affirm and reinforce
the divine inspiration of the Bible. However, the Bible never calls itself
"the word of God" either. Why not? Because "the word" cannot be distilled
to written words on a page. "For the word of God is living and active"
(Heb. 4:12a, NIV). God sends forth His word, and it does not return to
Him until it has accomplished its purpose (Isa. 55:10,11). The word of
God spreads on earth (Acts 6:7a). We are "born again...through the living
and enduring word of God" (1 Pet. 1:23,NIV). The word of God lives in us
(1 John 2:14). Through God's word all things were made (John 1:1-3). Jesus'
name is the word of God (Rev. 19:13). The word of God, the revealed truth
of God, is not a book, even though our book reveals many things about God.
But the two are not synonymous.

What, then, does
the Bible call itself? The Biblical term for the Bible is "the holy Scriptures"
(2 Tim. 3:15, NIV) or simply "the Scriptures" (John 5:39, NIV). The term
"Scriptures" or (literally, "writings") emphasizes the character of the
Bible as a library. The Scriptures of this library are "holy" or set apart
from others. They are the books recognized by the Church (by Christians)
as inspired and normative.

Does the subtle
distinction between "word of God" and "holy Scriptures" matter? It may.
Why? Referring to the Bible collectively as "the word of God" may help
to emphasize its divine inspiration and authority, but it may also tempt
us to homogenize
the distinctive testimonies of the Bible's multifarious
parts. This may prevent us from developing a more well rounded appreciation
of its message and limit our understanding of what God's Word is.

The list of recognized
Scriptures in the Church is known as "the
canon."
The Protestant canon includes the 39 books of the Hebrew Bible and the
27 books referred to as "the New Testament." The Catholic canon includes
these books as well as a dozen others that are found in the Greek version
of the Hebrew Bible. Though many other Jewish and Christian books have
been written over the last few millennia, only these 66 or so are considered
authoritative. Why?

Many theories
have been proposed to explain and define the canon. One proposed criterion
to determine the canonicity of a New Testament writing is authorship. If
a book was written by an apostle or an associate of the apostles, it is
considered canonical. Hence apostolic
authority is the basis of the canon. This criterion, however, is flawed
since the authorship of all the books cannot be established with certainty.
For example, no one knows who wrote the book of Hebrews. And what would
that do to our canon if archaeologists discovered another letter of Paul
(say, his letter to the Laodiceans, Col. 4:16)?

The best explanation
for the canon is "God's household, which is the church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15, NIV). The canon of
Scripture as it has been preserved has shaped and defined the community
of faith. We know it to be normative because it continues to confront and
correct us. We know it to be inspired because we have been unable to tame
or obscure its uncomfortable and radical witness. The Scriptures surprise
us, embarrass us, call us to repentance, and instruct us in righteousness
(2 Tim. 3:16).

The canon of
Scripture is important because it represents the acceptable limits of diversity
and enables us to pinpoint the basis of our unity. It enables us to appreciate
each Christian's canon "within" the canon. The Catholic's vision is shaped
by the emphasis on tradition and order in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus; the
Protestant's vision is shaped by Paul's powerful gospel in Galatians and
Romans; the charismatic's vision is shaped by Acts and 1 Corinthians; the
Adventist's vision is shaped by Daniel, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation;
and so on. This appreciation of each Christian's "piece" of the truth prepares
us to transcend the barriers that divide us and to grow up into "the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13, NIV).

What is this
library we call the Bible? It is the book of the Church, and each of us
represents a chapter. In tying all the chapters together we begin to glimpse
the glory of Christ and to discern the direction we should travel as a
collective people of God (see 2 Cor. 3). The nonsectarian ministries of
True Grace Ministries and open house churches are conducive to this mission.